Now I could cry even without this power. I could express my emotions freely. Much of what had been weighing on my heart had disappeared.

Maybe if it were my past self, but the current me didn’t need this power. Right now I held onto this power in case Lorina and Millen refused to confess, but if that matter was resolved smoothly, I didn’t want to use this power strongly anymore.

Luden seemed to understand my feelings and said he would respect my decision. Luden could use my power to pursue political influence, but he didn’t try to do that.

He only wanted me to decide for myself what to do with my power. And that was the respect I desired.

* * *

Kajiian entered the imperial palace and went to his office first. Reytan and Laysia, who had heard of Kajiian’s return, were waiting for him there.

“Is Annelia alright?”

At Reytan’s words, Kajiian smiled while running his hand through his hair.

“Yes, thanks to the dragons, the poison was treated.”

“She was poisoned?”

Laysia was shocked.

“That’s right.”

Kajiian sat on the sofa. He gestured for Laysia and Reytan to sit, then ordered an attendant to bring tea.

“First, I plan to interrogate Millen and Lorina.”

“Neither will open their mouths easily.”

“Alsellon opened his.”

The two paused for a moment.

“Shouldn’t the imperial family investigate this matter?”

At Reytan’s suggestion, Kajiian nodded.

“That would be good if the other nobles don’t oppose it.”

“Here’s a list of those in favor.”

Laysia showed him a list she had prepared in advance. Most of the high-ranking nobles hoped the imperial family would step forward in this matter.

“When did you prepare this?”

At Kajiian’s words, Laysia smiled.

“I also wanted to be of help to Lady Annelia.”

“It seems everyone owes Annelia a debt.”

“Of course.”

“Well, thanks to her, many people met their families before the war.”

And he too had resolved many things weighing on his heart thanks to Annelia. Many people liked the warm feeling she gave.

“We’ll be criticized if the imperial family doesn’t step forward directly.”

“Naturally.”

Reytan spoke with emphasis.

“Reytan, once the interrogation is finished, investigate based on the facts. We need to reveal how and through what channels this was carried out.”

“Understood. But where was Annelia?”

“There’s an island in Alsellon’s territory. They said it was an uninhabited island that was discovered not long ago.”

“How thorough.”

“Indeed.”

Kajiian shook his head.

“First, you two will also attend the interrogation. And, well, there’s something you’ll see inside that must be kept secret.”

Annelia didn’t want her power to be widely known. But since Reytan and Laysia had to investigate, they needed to witness the interrogation process.

“Ah, is it because of Lady Annelia’s power?”

At Laysia’s words, Kajiian was surprised and Reytan’s eyes widened.

“I was just guessing.”

Laysia smiled brightly.

* * *

“An apple fairy appeared?”

Luden looked extremely surprised. He put down his spoon for a moment, then asked me with a serious expression.

“Was it really an apple fairy?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Oh my.”

Luden jumped up and walked over to me, gently touching my belly.

“Annelia, be careful here.”

“Is something wrong?”

“In the Charlot family’s conception dreams, fairies have appeared for generations. Perhaps because the first Marquis Charlot married a fairy, there’s such a tradition.”

I was shocked at his words. What, fairies appearing in conception dreams! That’s something he should have told me beforehand.

“When Mother was pregnant with me, she also had such a dream.”

“Then really?”

“It must be pregnancy!”

Luden smiled brightly with joy. I held my belly and was speechless for a moment.

Was there really a baby?

I stared at Luden. He gazed at my belly with eyes full of complex emotions.

“Let’s go find out together.”

I said this while tightly grasping Luden’s hand. I was afraid of hearing it wasn’t pregnancy. But I needed him because I would be better if Luden comforted me by my side.

“Let’s not state the obvious.”

Luden said with a smile. At his cheerful expression, my tension eased.

Ah, right! Even if it’s not pregnancy, it’ll be okay if I’m with him. Because he’ll tell me there will be another chance.

Still, I called for a doctor with anticipation.

* * *

The doctor who examined me slowly turned his gaze to look at me and Luden.

“Well, it really is pregnancy.”

At his words, Luden cheered and I quickly stroked my belly gently. A baby had formed here.

“Finally, an heir for the Marquis Charlot family. Congratulations.”

He happily recommended foods that were good to eat in early pregnancy. I looked at the list of foods and pondered what to eat.

“We should tell Anan too.”

“Mm, let’s only tell Mother.”

“Yes! Once things stabilize, I think we should tell those around us.”

Luden nodded and cupped my cheeks.

“My beloved wife, thank you.”

“Did I make the baby alone? We made it together.”

I pressed down on his hand cupping my cheek with my palm.

“Let’s become good parents together.”

“…We’re becoming parents.”

He seemed to feel something strange at those words. Since it was an affectionate gaze, I smiled brightly.

And so a child came to us.

* * *

Anan, who heard the pregnancy news, was truly delighted. I decided to reduce my counseling center work a bit for the child. I didn’t want to miscarry from overexertion early on.

But that became the trigger for others to notice.

“What’s this gift for?”

Kajiian gave me a bouquet and delicious sweets.

“Ah, in the imperial palace, when a daughter becomes pregnant, the emperor personally gives a gift.”

I was surprised at his words.

“H-how did you know?”

“Why wouldn’t I know?”

Kajiian laughed.

“You reduced your work and materials related to children are visible—anyone would know.”

He was right. I had been too obvious. Other customers seemed to have noticed too. Should I get rid of those materials now?

But baby clothes and shoes kept catching my eye—so many pretty things. I grinned and told him.

“Thank you.”

“Haven’t you passed the dangerous early pregnancy period?”

“Soon.”

“Mm, these sweets are specially made with high nutrition for pregnant women. Since you’re not eating alone anymore.”

He was right. When I eat, the baby eats too. The doctor told me to remember that well.

“I’ll eat them well.”

“And I was thinking.”

An ominous feeling arose.

“Laysia seems to be preparing for pregnancy too. If the child Laysia bears is a different gender, how about marrying them in the future?”

At his words, I pondered for a moment. Honestly, I should refuse, but since Reytan and Laysia were friends with good personalities, I thought I’d honestly like a child who resembled them.

But this was only my thought.

“Mm, I’ll make sure they meet often so they can be close.”

I could at least give this answer.

“Good.”

Fortunately, Kajiian smiled with satisfaction.

“Not agreeing immediately is very like Annelia.”

“The child should decide their own partner.”

“I see.”

Whether a son or daughter was born didn’t matter. I had to raise them diligently.

Later, when the child grew up, I wanted to be a parent they would say they were glad to have, that they were happy.

* * *

When rumors spread that Kajiian had given a gift, everyone sent letters of congratulations along with presents. Congratulatory gifts came to the Marquis Charlot residence every day.

Everyone seemed to have been waiting for the right timing to send gifts. Most were pregnancy or child-related gifts.

I sat on the sofa drinking tea with Anan and asked her something I was curious about.

“What will it feel like when the child is born?”

“Everything will just seem lovely.”

Everything lovely? What kind of feeling would make someone say that?

“When Annelia sees the child you gave birth to with difficulty, you’ll know. They’re truly beautiful.”

At Anan’s abstract explanation, I pondered for a moment. I had just passed early pregnancy and my belly had swelled slightly. I touched my belly and imagined when the child would be born.

But I still didn’t know.

* * *

Time passed and the day came for the child to be born. Feeling pain, I pushed on the bed with Luden beside me.

Groaning in pain, I felt something slipping out. And… I lost consciousness briefly.

When I came to again, Luden was holding a small child. A newborn baby was in his arms.

Luden’s and my child. The size was so small.

This child would later grow as big as me and Luden.

“It’s a daughter.”

At the doctor’s words, I smiled brightly and nodded.

“The baby is beautiful.”

The world sparkled. I felt tender, warm love. Different from the love I felt for Luden, but a beautiful emotion.

So that’s why Anan said the world was beautiful. Only then did I understand the meaning of what she had said.

The child of the person I love. And so I gained a child.

* * *

I possessed someone and became a different person. To avoid becoming a pushover wife, I proposed a contract marriage to him and fell for him. Then I misunderstood, confessed, and even had a child.

‘Mm, it’s like a novel.’

I thought this while looking at the child. The baby had blonde hair and red eyes. Whenever eyes the same color as Luden’s turned toward me, I thought of him.

Later, when the child grew up and stood side by side with Luden, it would be delightful.

“Did you choose a name?”

Luden nodded.

“I did.”

After struggling with the name for days, he finally decided.

“What’s the name?”

“Aru.”

“Aru.”

I quickly realized he had combined my name with Luden’s. Still, the sound was nice and I was pleased that it came from his and my names, so I decided to call her that.

My first child’s name was Aru. Aru Charlot.

Luden tightly grasped my hand.

“Annelia, are you happy being with me?”

He suddenly said this.

“I’m happy too.”

Annelia’s fate of becoming a pushover wife changed when I possessed her. More precisely, from the moment I possessed her, this place was no longer a world inside a novel.

I am a person living in this place. And no matter what happened, Luden and I would live without letting go of each other’s hands.

Epilogue

Kajiian looked at Aru. The child who resembled Luden and Annelia perfectly was so beautiful. 

Visiting the Marquis Charlot family, he set down a gift for the child and smiled while looking at her for a moment.

Laysia was pregnant. He hoped it would be a son…

In fact, Reytan and Laysia also hoped their child would be a son. His daughter-in-law also coveted Aru of the Charlot family.

“Hehe.”

“What are you thinking about?”

Annelia asked curiously. Kajiian quickly composed his expression and hid his inner thoughts with a smile.

“I was thinking the child is beautiful.”

“Of course! It’s our Aru.”

Annelia cherished her daughter greatly. So she was taking a few months off from counseling center work for childcare, but customers who had received counseling visited the Marquis Charlot residence with gifts.

They wanted to see Annelia’s daughter and have time to talk with Annelia. And everyone coveted Aru.

Kajiian thought there were many rivals as he looked at Aru. Aru opened her eyes and smiled brightly at Kajiian.

Yes, you’re my future granddaughter-in-law!

* * *

Luden openly showed anger at his business partner. Though he usually showed almost no emotion when working, today was different.

“At least have a meal before you go.”

The business partner had delayed handling work and now asked him to have a meal.

“Let’s have a meal next time.”

At Luden’s words, the other party seemed deflated and hesitated. But Luden immediately got in the carriage and headed home.

Aru and Annelia would be waiting for him. Especially Aru had started talking recently. How his heart pounded every time she awkwardly said “Papa”!

Recently, Laysia had given birth to a son. Kajiian said that once his grandson grew a bit, they should pair him with Aru as childhood friends…

“Just meeting is fine…”

‘But if they propose an engagement, I’ll have to refuse. My daughter will become Marquis Charlot.’

Luden planned to be firm with them. It was not far in the future that Reytan’s son would marry Luden’s daughter and become son-in-law to the Marquis Charlot family, but Luden didn’t know.

A party that would cause his daughter to marry at a young age was approaching, but Luden didn’t suspect it.

fin.